Cyclone separation and recovery of carbon dioxide from heated liquid absorbent

US9861910B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY · SA

Inventors

• Ahmad D. Hammad · Dhahran, SA
• Abdul Rahman Zafer Akhras · Dhahran, SA
• Zaki Yusuf · Dhahran, SA
• Nayif Rasheedi · Dhahran, SA
• Amjaad Al-Qahtani · Dhahran, SA

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 16, 2014
• Grant date: Jan 9, 2018
• Expiry date: Dec 22, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02C20/40
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process and system for improving the efficiency of regenerating a CO2-rich liquid absorbent stream following contact in an absorption zone with, e.g., a flue gas stream from which it has absorbed CO2, and recovering a substantially pure stream of includes passing the pressurized liquid sorbent through a heating zone to heat it to the desorption temperature, e.g., to about 80°-85° C. for aqueous K2CO3 sorbent, introducing the heated liquid sorbent into a cyclone separation zone where the combination of increased temperature, reduced pressure and the centrifugal forces on the liquid/gas mixture result in a relatively more rapid and efficient separation of the CO2 from the liquid sorbent from which it has been released. The CO2-lean liquid sorbent descends to the bottom of the cyclone separator and is recovered, cooled and recycled to the absorption zone; the CO2 withdrawn from the cyclone separation zone passes through a condenser to remove moisture and any other condensates present, and the CO2 is recovered for storage or use in downstream processes.